Pile apparatus



Nov. 16, 1943.

A. CORTELLA P ILE APPARATUS Filed June -l8. 1940 SYM ATTORNEY lment of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2;

to Fig. 1

Patented Nov. 16, 1943 ,PILE APPARATUS Alphonse Cortella,A NewV York, N. Y.,Y assignor to `Cartella Laboratories Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of 'New York Application Jane 1s, 1940, serial No. 341,079

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to apparatus for driving piles. More particularly my inven- .tion relates to an improved apparatus for placing cased, cast-in-place piles.

One of the objects of my invention is" to proi vide a pile apparatus of the class described which shall be so designed that relatively thin shells maybe eiiciently and practically employed to actas forms forconcrete or other suitable filling in order to construct a pile thus effecting a great saving of material.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved pile apparatus' of the class described in which a single shellor a lplurality of joined shells are employed, which shall be so constructed that the shells themselves or the joints between shell sections will not be subjected to any of the driving forces of the pile-apparatus resulting from the hammer blows.

Still another object of my linvention is to provide an improved pile' apparatus of the class described which shall be characterized by its novel constructional features,` by its simplicity vof assembly and operation and by its high degree of efliciency. e e

Further objects of my invention will become apparent in the following detailed' description thereof.

AIn the accompanying drawing,` e

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a pile 'appa-f ratus constructed and arranged in accordance l with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional viewof a frag- Fig. 5 is Van elevational viewv similar but illustrating a modified form of my invention; and j Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a fragment of the apparatus shown in Fig. v5.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown, in Figs. 1 to 4, an apparatus fornforming a cast-inplace pile constructed in accordance with my invention and comprising a4 driving tube or pipe I0 made of rigid materialesuch as metal, concrete, plastics or the like substances ableto withstand the force of the driving blows delivered thereto by means of a steam hammer or any other similar driving means. Resting upon the upper end of the pipe I0 is acylinder II having its base IIa,v directly contacting the Vrim of the said pipe I0. A downwardly depending flange I2 disposed closely' adjacent the inner wallof the pipe II) serves to prevent relative lateral displacement between the cylinder base IIa and the said pipe Il). A suitable pin I4 passing through the walls of thel flange I2 and pipe Iii serves to additionally maintain the cylinder II in attachment with the pipe IIJ. The cylinder II normally contains a predetermined quantity of water or any other suitable fluid.y Mounted for vertical movement within the cylinder II and normally disposed at about the water line therein is a relatively heavy metallic plate I5 which Yis attached to the base I6 of a suitable steamhammer (not shown) of the type known to the art, .by means of a chain or bail member I1 as shown. A packing member I8 carried by the `plate I5 is interposed between the plate I5 and the inner wall of the .cylinder Il to provide a water-tight fit, the purpose of which will soon become apparent. e

At the lower end of the drive pipe I0 there is provided a plate` I9 which is made stronger than the drive pipe I0 because of the fact that it is this member I9 which bearsthe Ybrunt of the driving force of the hammer. The plate I9 may bea separate member as shown in the drawing or it may be made integral with the pipe I0, if desired. Also while the plate I9 is shown flat in Fig. 2, the same may be tapered as inFig. 5 or it may have any other `desired shape depending'upon the specic job undertaken. e y

Surrounding the plate I9 is a boot member 2-4 which may be of rigid metallic material.

Surrounding the drive pipe Ill is a sheath 2U made of rubber or any other similar elastic material .which is preferably of the type adapted to readily stretch or permit expansion in a radial direction and to resist expansion in 'an axial direction. One manner of effecting such construction for the rubber .sheathlil is ,to reinforce the said sheath 20 with longitudinal wires or" cords adapted to expand radially but not capable of expansion along the lengths thereof.

At a point` adjacent the upper end of the pipe I0 a tightly drawn band 2l rigidly attaches the sheath-20 to the pipe I0, at the same time forming a fluid-tight joint. A similar band may be employed adjacent the lower end of the pipe I0 for the same purpose and function as that of .the band 2l. If desired, instead of the bands 2l, a plurality of tightly drawn wires 22 may be satisfactorily used as shown in Fig.` 2 of the drawmg. I

Surrounding the rubber sheath 20 is a tubular shell 25 which, due to special features of conable attaolimginieansesuch asfforfexample, by

welding as atZ. irIheupper endfof the selil1-25 is free and unattached. It is noted that the shell 25 is normally spaced from the sheath 20 a predetermined distance, the reason for .which will soon be explained.

By means of the piping 26 avateriinrthecoylinder `15 I I may be caused to flow therefrom into vthe'space between the pipe Ii] and the sheath 20.

It is thus seen from the above-.description of the apparatus that the weight ofthe hammer I 6 resting on the plate I5 will cause the said -plate x20 I,5.tomove ydownwardlyin .the cylinder I I. This in ,turn will Lforce the waterfrom 'the .cylinder II I .to flow underpressure Lthrough lthemping 2B and inlbetween the rubhersheath .and the ,drive pipeflll `tclexpandthe .said rubber .sheath2ll away Afromthe said pipe ID and up against'the sur- .rounding `shell 25. "lullig, V2, Lthe relativepositions oirthelpartsareshown when .the water from .the .cylinder I'I .is stillJbeingforcedfinto the 4space between '.the pipe `I30 and '.the sheath T20. Fig.`3 rillustrates thelrlativepositions rif .the parts when Lthe .plate 'I5lhasbeen'lowered Eto .apo'nt whereit .rests .upon the base .Ila `o`f .the .cylinder H, .',in vih'ihaseall .the water from .the-cylinder will .have been orced Linto the space "between `the .sheath.2ll and .i'p.e.l'. '.'Iheblowssolc the'hammer '[6 .are then delivered through '.theplate l5 and .the oylinderbase I.I1,'to the drive pipe 1.0. I'he blows'thus delivered by thelhammer 'Il5.aretrans .mitted to .the ,plate .I,9- which .pushes the earth .asideas it .moves downwardly. The boot 2'4 .is also carried \down`by Ithe Aplate I9 and .the shell 25 .-whih isfa'ttaohedlto .theboot 24 .will also move `downwardl-y.

i .It.2is 'thus seen .thatno strain .o'f Lthe hammer i `blows is Zmposed on .theishell '25, sinne `it"is merel1y\'dragged along'by'the down-ward movement `of the bootf24.

'When -lthelhole 'for .the ,pile 'has .been ilriiven vto the required ythe :weight I6 lis .lifted .by means ofthehail SI1. "This'willeausetheplate I'5 to rise creatinga suction within the .cylinder .I.I into-which -the water from 'betweerrthe .sheath Z0 `and .drive rpipe ILD hows. 'lhe .structurels .so designedthat when .theplate `I.5 travels xupward- .ly `to a A.position .where Ait `abuts .a member '2B all .the .water will 11ave`.been emptied `from .thelspace -between kthe pipe I ,and fthe .sheath .2U iinto the cylinder M.. 'This will oauselthe saids'heathlto .be restoredlto'its original 'collapsedposition 'The ,cylinder 'I1' may 'then be liftedl carrying with it the drive Vpipe TB. It is noted 'that theppe 'Ill maybe readily removed 'in view of the reespace surrounding the same due to theabove described action-of the expanding rubber sheathil. Concrete or other suitable filling vmaterial may 'then be poured into 'the .opening .de'nedby the shell 125 tolformramil'e. Y

In Figs. 5 and6 I have shown the application of rnyinvention 'as applied to 'a 'type o'f pile lappa- -ratus'comprising 'a pluralityof 'shells A, B .and C `join`ed 'in Vstep-taper arrangement. -In 'the'type of'step-taper piles vl'reretofore employed, the `joints of the sections had to be made strong enough to 'withstand rtheicrroe nf the {hannnerblows'as kit'vvas driven into the ground. In the apparatus of my invention, however, the joints between shell sections A and B and B and C need only be made water-tight to prevent water from the surrounding earth from entering the shell 25 when the apparatus comprising the driving pipe I0 and the rubber sheath 20 is removed therefrom and until the shell is filled with concrete or the like. One suc'htyp'e .ofwa'ter-tight.iointisfshownin Fig. 6 'of the drawing. -In this form df my invention the rubber sheath 2B may be step-tapered to corre- ;'spond to the taper of the shell. As no. driving .force is applied to the shell the joints between sections thereof will easily hold and prevent the :leakageof"water:into;the shell.

fonedfthe a'dvantages of the present invention liesinth'e ffact that while the shell 25 may be runder tensiondue to the pulling action of the boot 24, the said shell is never under compression and .therefore will not buckle as would be the case in the .type oflpile apparatus heretofore employed. Tt `is noted that even the 'tension to which the shell25lis subjected'isiliniited, dueto the flexible rubber sheath engaging `in 'the corrugations o'f the shell 25, .as clearly .shown in`Fig. 4 o`f `the drawing.

"In accordance .with the-provisions 'of theipatent statutes, `I have 'herein described fthe principle and operation of myinvention,"together withzthe apparatus whichl now considerto represent the best embodiment thereof,`but"I-desire to .have vit understood that Vthe apparatusv shown Aisonly'il- 'lus'tra'tive and that the invention canbe carried out byother means. us'e'the lvarious.featuresand elementsinthe combination and relations .described-some o`f -these m'aybe altered and others omitted withoutfinl- "ter'fering with the mostgeneral results outlined, and the invention extends 'to `such use. f n' Having described my invention, what Ifolaim and desire to secure by .Letters Patentis:

T1. In argpile' driving apparatus .of 'the v.class -described "the combination .of Ya. relatively .rigid driving member responsive 'to hammer blows, sheath of resilient material surrounding said driving member and a shell surrounding .sa'id sheath, said shell being normally spaced rom said'sheath, and means 'for causing saidsheath to move radially in a direction away .from said driving member and toward said shell, said-last named means comprising a chamberlcontaining a`liq1iid and piping lleading 4fromsaid ohambertor a space between said drivmgmeInberand-.said sheath'to permitsaid liquidto .expand said resilient sheath.

2.111 a p11@ arivingaeparatus .ofthe cesenascribed the 'combination of arelativelymigidrdriiving member .responsive .to hammer blows, a resilient sheath surrounding .said driving member, a shell surrounding said sheath, means for .causing said sheath to expand ina direction away from said driving member andtoward said shell,l said last named 'means comprising .a chamber containing 'a liquid, piping lleading 'from said enamber lto ka space between said driving meniber and said-sheath to permit saidliquidto .expand 'said sheath, and 'means to forcethe liquid `from said chamber -throughsaid piping and Iinto *said space.

3. A vlpilefdrivingrapparatus comprising a `driving 'member member yat-the l'lower'end 'of said driving member disposed in the 4path of movement of 'said driving member, r`amexpansible sheath 'surrounding said driving membenashell normally spaced 'from and surrounding said sheath, said shell Abeing at-f- Jresponsive "to hammer blows, a'boot with whereby the said shell will be pulled downwardly with the movement of said boot member by aforce exerted adjacent the bottom of said shell, means for' causing said sheath to expand in a direction away from said driving member to frictionally engage said shell, said last named means comprising a cylinder containing a liquid, and means for introducing said liquid between said sheath and said driving member to expand said sheath.

4. A lpile driving apparatus comprising a driving member responsive to hammer'blows, a boot member at the lower end of said driving member disposed in the path of movement of said driving member, an expansible sheath surrounding said driving member,`a shell normally spaced from and surrounding said sheath, said shell being attached to said boot member for movement therewith whereby the said shell will be pulled downwardly with the movement ofsaid boot member by a force exerted adjacent the bottom of said shell, a cylinderv having the bottom wall thereof contactively engaging said driving member, liquid in said cylinder, pipingrcommunicating with said cylinder to permit the owof said liquidrto a space between said sheath and said driving member.

5.KA pile driving apparatus'comprising va driving member responsive to hammer blows, aboot member at the lower end of said driving member disposed in the path of movement of said driving member, an expansible sheath surroundingv said driving member, a shell normally spaced from and surrounding said`sheath,rsaid shellbeing attached to said boot member for movement therewith whereby the said shell will'be pulled downwardly with the movement of said boot member by aY force exerted adjacentthe bottom of said shell, al cylinder having the bottom wall thereoffcontactively engaging said driving mem-k ber, liquid in said cylinder, piping communicating with said cylinder to permit the flow of said liquid to a space between said sheath and said driving member, and a piston member in said cylinder for forcing the liquid therefrom into said space.

6. A pile driving apparatus comprising a driving member responsive to hammer blows, aboot member at the lower end of said driving member disposed in the path of movement of said driving member, an expansible sheath surrounding said driving member, a shell normally spaced from and surrounding said sheath, said shell being attached to said boot member for movement therewith whereby the said shell will berpulled kdownwardly with the movement of said boot member by a force exerted adjacent the bottom of said shell, a cylinder having the bottom wall thereof contactively engaging said driving member, liquid in said cylinder, piping communicating with said cylinder to permit the flow of said liquid to a space between `said sheath. and said driving member, and a vpiston member in said cylinder for forcing the liquid therefrom into said space, said piston memberbeing so constructed and arranged as to force all the liquid from said cylinder so that it will contactively engage the said bottom wall of said ,cylinder tothereafter r receive the force of said hammer blows.

' 7. In a pile driving apparatus of the class described, the combination of a relatively rigidf driving pipe or core and a' sheath of elastic material,said core being nested within said sheath,

means for Vattaching adjacent portions of the top and bottom vof said sheath to said core for movement therewith, leaving the sheath portions between said top and bottom attached portions free to expand radially with respect to said core,

Vand means for causing such expansion of said sheath.

' .Y ALPHONSE CORTELLA. 

